Beverage mixing container



March 17, 1953 H. c. ATKlNs. JR 2,631,521

BEVERAGE MIXING CONTAINER Filed Nov. 25.- 1949 IN VEN TOR. ALEM?? CIATKJNS, J?.

` ATTOHM'V.

Patented Mar. 17, 1953 i.,

UNITED STATES -PATENT GFFICE y 2,631,521 v BEVERAGE MIXING CONTAINER Henryc. Atkins, Jr., Indianapolis, Ind.

Application November'l 25, 194:9,l Serial No. 129,432

8 Claims. f (01.99-275) 4: The present invention relates to a beverage mixing container, and is primarily concerned with the provision of a device which may be secured, in fluid sealing relation, to the mouth of a beverage receptacle, the container being adapted to carry a charge of flavoring liquid, and being so constructed that, when properly manipulated, open communication will be established between the interiors ofthe receptacle and 7the container whereby the liquid in the container will be discharged into the receptacle, there to mix with the beverage contained therein. l yFurther objects of the invention, and structural details designed to accomplish such objects, will appear as theidescription proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the forms illustrated in theiaccompaying drawingsattention being called to the fact, however, thatvthe drawings are illustrative only, and that changemay be made in the specific constructions illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated,

i' Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a container constituting one preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, parts being shown in section, in operative association with asuitable receptacle, fragmentarily shown;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section of the assembly, the container having been manipulated to estab- 1is`h communication between the interiors of the container and receptacle;

Fig. 4 isa view similar to` Fig. 2, but showing a `modified form of theinvention; and

`. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a still further Imodification. l Referring more particularly to the drawings, itwill'be seen that I have illustrated, in Figs. 1 to 3, a container indicated generally by the reference numeral I0, in which is stored a charge of liquid I I of any suitable characteristics. In Figs. @Zand 3 I have indicated, fragmentarily, a beverage bottle' I2 containing a suitable beverage I3. For instance, the bottle I2 may Acontain a carbonated beverage, while the charge II in the container I0 may be fruit juice, flavoring syrup, or any other liquid which it may be desired t0 mix with the carbonated beverage I3. If the bottle I2 contains a carbonated beverage, of course the pressure within 'the bottlev will be superatmos- 2 any material, I prefer to form it of molded plastic, the walls being relatively thin and transparent' or translucent. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the container comprises a cylindrical Wall I4 closed at its top by a bulged,1iexible' wall I5 and at its bottom by a wall I6. Projecting axially from the wall I6 is a cylindrical flange I1 formed with an internal thread I8 whichfinthe illustrated embodiment of the invention, is a'l very coarse thread adapted for operative association with a thread conveniently moldable upon a glass bottle. In some instances, it may be desirable to make the flange I'I quite heavyl so that it shall be substantially rigid, As shown,I the flange I'I is integral with the bottom wall I6 of the container, but obviously it may be a sepa" rate element secured to the bottom wall I6 in any suitable fashion. In some instances,` it may be desirableto make the container I0 and the flange I'I partially or entirely of metal; but the top wall I5 must be flexible, and preferably will be bulged as shown, if the perimetral wall I4 is rigid. Alternatively, the wall I4 might be formed as a bellows, whereby it will be axially collapsible, in which case the wall I5 may be rigid. As a still further variation, the walls I4 and I5 might be rigid, the wall I6 being flexible.

j Preferably, a perforated sealing washer I9 will be nested within the flange I1 as shown for reasons which will become apparent as the description proceeds.

A needle 20 is suitably supported within the container I 0 with its sharpened point 2| projecting toward, and into juxtaposition with, the bottom wall I6 of the container at a point within the boundaries of the flange I'I. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the needle means 20 is provided with an enlarged head 22 embedded within the material of, or otherwise secured to, the top wall I5 of the container. It will be obvious that, when the wall I5 is flexed, or the container is otherwise manipulated to decrease the distance between the 4wall I5 and the wall I6, the needle 20 will puncture the bottom wall II at a point in registry with the perforation through the washer I9. j In the illustrated embodiment of the invention; the top wall I5 is formed as a separate element having a depending skirt 23 telescopically associated with the wall I4 which, after filling of thecontainer, may be plastic welded, or otherwise secured in place. This is, of course, only one means to provide for filling of the container; and it will be obvious that other means may be supplied for that purpose.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the bottle I2 is formed, immediately at its mouth, with an integrally molded thread 24 adapted to be received in the internal thread I8 of the flange I1. In that embodiment of the invention, the container Ill acts as the sole seal for the bottle I2, the flange I1 being turned down on the bottle mouth thread to press the washer I9 into sealing engagement with the lip 25 of the bottle mouth. When the needle 20 is driven through the wall I6, by a sharp blow upon the bulged top wall I5, or by steady pressure thereagainst, as suggested in Fig. 3, the end of the needle will be subjected to the superatmospheric pressure within the bottle I2; and that pressure, together with the natural resiliency of the container walls, will cause the needle 2U to be retracted, thereby opening communication between the interiors of the container I and the bottle I2. Gas from the interior of the bottle will immediately bubble up through the liquid charge II in the container I0, whereby the pressure diierential between the container and the bottle will be substantially equalized.

Now, the container I0 will be rotated to back the washer I9 gradually away from the bottle lip 25. Because of the character of the threads I8 and 24, excess gas within the bottle will escape between the flange I1 and the bottle mouth, until the pressure within the bottle is reduced substantially to atmospheric value. The gas which has bubbled up through the charge II, as previously described, is trapped above that charge at its superatmospheric pressure, so that, as the pressure in the bottle I2 approaches atmospheric value, the pressure above the liquid II will discharge that liquid forcibly through the punctured Wall I6 into the bottle, whereby the liquid I I will be thoroughly mixed with the liquid I3. After the container II) has been exhausted, the flange I1 will be removed from the bottle I2 and discarded, and the mixed beverage will be poured, or consumed directly, from the bottle.

While bottles have been shown in the drawings forming a part hereof, and the word bottle has been used throughout the above description, it will be clear, of course, that the invention is as applicable to beverages contained in cans or other types of receptacles, so long as the flange I1 is capable of association with the receptacle mouth; and of course the shape, size, and proportions of the flange I1 may be varied to render it associable with the mouth of almost any type of receptacle.

In Fig. 4, I have shown a modified finish for a bottle 23. According to this embodiment of the invention, the bottle is provided with a conventional nish for the reception of a conventional sealing crown 21; and below that finish, the bottle is provided with an integrally molded, or otherwise produced, external thread 23. For association, with the bottle 26, the flange I1 is axially somewhat elongated, and is provided with an internal thread I8 only adjacent its free end. In this form of the invention, the washer I9 has a sealing engagement against the outer surface of the crown 21 so that, when the needle 20 is driven downwardly to puncture the wall I6' and the top of the crown 21, gas will not leak between the crown and the bottle wall I6', but will be confined and forced into the interior of the container I0.

In other respects, the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 4 is identical with that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3. y

In Fig. 5, I have shown a fragment of the bottle I2 provided with the thread 24 above described in connection with the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3; and the container I0" and the Iiange I1" are substantially identical with the container I0 and flange I1, the ange I1 being only slightly longer than the flange I1. I have shown, however, a crown 29, in place of the conventional crown 21, suitably secured to the bottle mouth, and provided with a skirt 30 enshrouding and conforming to, the thread 24. The thread I8" is proportioned and designed for association with the external surface of the crown skirt 30.

In Fig. 5, I have shown the perimetral wall of the container I0 provided, adjacent its upper end, with a bead 3|; and I have shown a protective cap 32 associated with the container I0". Said cap comprises a top wall or cover 33 and a perimetral skirt 34 formed, adjacent its free end, as at 35, for association vwith the bead 3I. Preferably, the cap skirt 34 will have a snap nt on the bead 3l; and its wall 33 will be sufficiently rigid to protect the top Wall of the container from accidental fiexure which might cause the needle to puncture the container bottom wall. The cover 32 may, of course, be associated, if desired, with any one of the various forms of container herein disclosed or discussed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A container of the character described having a bulging, flexible top wall and a bottom wall, means carried by the bottom wall for sealingly connecting said container to the open mouth of a bottle or the like, needle means carried by said top wall within said container and projecting into juxtaposition with a point in said bottom wall registering with said connecting means, said needle means being operative, upon ilexure of said top wall, to puncture said bottom wall at such point, and a protective cap of relatively rigid material housing and shielding said top wall against accidental bottom wall-puncturing flexure.

2. The container of claim 1 in which said cap includes a perimetral skirt frictionally engaged with a perimetral surface of said container, and a rigid top carried by said skirt, spanning said container top wall, and spaced therefrom.

3. The combination with a receptacle having a mouth with a crown nish and a sealing crown closing the same, said receptacle further being provided with an external thread adjacent its mouth, of a container having a bottom wall and a flexible top wall, a cylindrical, internallythreaded flange axially projecting from said bottom wall and threadedly engaged with said receptacle thread whereby said container exerts pressure against said crown, and needle means movably mounted within said container and projecting toward a point on said bottom wall within the boundaries of said flange, said top wall being operatively connected to said needle means t0 shift the same, upon flexure of said top wall, to puncture said bottom wall and said crown to open communication between the interiors of said container and said receptacle.

4. The combination of claim 3 'in which said receptacle thread is formed on the neck of said receptacle below said crown.

5. The combination of claim 3 in which said receptacle thread is formed within the region enshrouded by said crown, and the skirt of said crown conforms to said thread.

6. The combination with a receptacle having a mouth with a crown finish and a sealing crown closing the same, said crown being formed with an external thread, of a container having a bottom wall and a iiexible top wall, a cylindrical, internally-threaded flange axially projecting from said bottom wall and threadedly engaged with said crown thread whereby said container exerts pressure against said crown, and needle means movably mounted Within said container and projecting toward a point on said bottom wall within the boundaries of said ange, said top wall being operatively connected to said needle means to shift the same, upon flexure of said top wall, to puncture said bottom wall and said crown to open communication between the interiors of said container and said receptacle.

7. In combination, a receptacle containing a fluent material under superatmospheric pressure, a container containing a different uent material under a pressure not substantially above atmospheric, said receptacle having a mouth and said container having a bottom wall, closure means for said receptacle mouth, cooperating threaded means for securing said container to said receptacle with a portion of said container bottom Wall in contact with said receptacle mouth closure means, and a pointed implement supported within said container and movable relative to said container bottom Wall to puncture said portion of said bottom Wall and said closure means to establish open communication between the interiors of said receptacle and said container,

whereby the pressures within said receptacle and said container Will be equalized to discharge the fluent material from said container into said receptacle.

8. In combination, a receptacle containing a fluent material under superatmospheric pressure, a container containing a dierent iiuent material under a pressure not substantially above atmospheric, said receptacle having a mouth and said container having a bottom wall, a closure cap for said receptacle mouth, said cap being formed to provide a threaded, cylindrical wall, a cylindrical projection on said container threadedly engaged with said cap wall to secure said container to said receptacle with a portion of said bottom Wall in registry with said receptacle mouth, and a pointed implement supported withinsaid container and movable relative to said container bottom Wall to puncture said portion of said bottom wall vand said cap to establish open communication between the interiors of said receptacle and said container, whereby the pressures within said receptacle and said container will be equalized to discharge the fluent material from said container into said receptacle.

HENRY C. ATKINS, Jn.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,677,253 Scofield July 17, 1928 1,948,306 Meurer Feb. 20, 1934 2,073,273 Westein Mar. 9, 1937 2,091,737 Longway Aug. 31, 1937 2,220,146 Curry Nov. 5, 1940 2,387,978 Casey Oct. 30, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 245,374 Germany Feb. 5. 1910 

